ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bat · rush · wax · bore · bank · rock · fan · field

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. wax — to grow
  4. bank — of a river
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. bank — for money
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — music
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. field — for sport
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. bank — for money
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. field — farmland
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bat — the animal
  22. bore — to tire
  23. rush — hurry
  24. field — a subject

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com